


Memories

by TheFreeJoker42



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: I'm so proud, Mini Fic, aww they actually have their own tags now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23067787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFreeJoker42/pseuds/TheFreeJoker42
Summary: Jin was supposed to evolve to lead Metsubojinrai, but one thing caused him to stray from the Ark. The Ark decided there was only one way to eliminate that threat.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 22





	Memories

Jin’s loyalty was not where it should have been. The Ark had calculated the evolution of Metsubojinrai with great care, and although a few unexpected events took place along the way, it was all coming along nicely. Granted, Ikazuchi had been defeated before he even started, and the appointed leader of the group was the weakest of them all, but Jin, he was showing such potential.

At least he would be, if he wasn’t so distracted. He was being driven by one thing, and it was one thing the Ark had not factored in. After all, he should be dead. That was the point. He was so useless, he couldn’t even do that much.

Jin froze as his vision darkened, a familiar itch in the back of his mind. His eyes flickered red, but he pushed aside his uneasiness. He was in control now, and nothing could take that from him.

“Get out of my head.” He warned in a voice so dark he even surprised himself. “I’m awake now, you don’t control me any more.”

A sharp pain pulsated in his head, as though challenging him. But he pushed through it, tried not to let it antagonise him. He could handle a little pain.

“You can’t tell me what to do, I’m my own person, and so is Horobi. One day he’ll realise that he doesn’t have to answer to you.” 

He threw his head back and screamed, the Ark trying violently to force its way back. His systems burned, his own body and mind fighting against itself. He felt as though he was being torn apart from the inside. 

“You won’t manipulate me again, I am stronger than you!”

That he was. He was the strongest amongst them. He didn’t need anyone else holding him back- no, those weren’t his thoughts!

“You’re wrong. I won’t let you split us up again!”

He screamed clutching his ears, trying to turn away from the piercing shriek deafening him. He couldn’t even hear himself. _You are stronger than me, stronger than them. Stronger than us all. And the strong eliminate the weak. Horobi’s purpose has been fulfilled._ And when a HumaGear’s purpose is fulfilled, they are deactivated. He learned that from Ikazuchi.

But that was the life he wanted to save them from.

“You’re wrong. We are more than whatever we were intended to be. Horobi isn’t weak, and I will always need him. But you wouldn’t understand that.”

Horobi was his entire life, his absolute existence, he wouldn’t throw him under the bus because a stupid satellite told him to. _Even though he did the same to you?_

“Because you made him! Because that’s what you do, you brainwash us, so that everything we do is per the will of the stupid Ark! I won’t hold him responsible for anything you made him do.”

At that moment, Jin realised just what that searing pain was. The Ark was filing through his memories, to pull out the last thing in the world he ever wanted to see again. Horobi on the floor, bleeding, his eye damaged and his voice glitching.

‘With my own destruction, you will gain hatred towards humanity, and awaken.’ He understood now, he understood what the Ark was trying to do. But he just shook his head.

“There is nothing you can do to make that happen. Admit defeat. I don’t have to listen to you any more.”

He turned to walk away, though walk from what, he had no idea. There was nothing physical to walk away from. But there was something in the gesture that finalised the interaction.

Until he stopped, and fell forwards with a gasp, as the memory slipped away from him. He was no longer able to recall it, though he know it happened, he was suddenly unable to hear what Horobi had said to him, see the hand reaching up to him. It was blank.

“What did you do? Bring it back!”

It was a terrible memory, one that haunted him every day, but he wouldn’t trade a single memory of Horobi for anything in the world. One by one, others started to slip from him. ‘You are a HumaGear I created, that is why I call you my son.’ ‘Did you read about this? Paying respect at the grave of a fallen family member?’ ‘Jin, I have a new friend for you.’

‘Welcome back, Jin.’

He was cruelly shown each memory before they were ripped away.

“Stop! You can’t do this!”

The way out was clear to him, to submit to the Ark, to do as it willed, but that wasn’t better. He couldn’t bring himself to even consider agreeing that, to fall straight back to where he started. But the pain grew with each memory he lost.

“No I refuse!”

Every single ‘will of the Ark’ played in his mind, the only words that remained.

“No I don’t want to!”

He screamed, his fingers digging into his own hair as he tried hard to grasp onto his last few memories.

“Please! No! Horobi!”

“Jin!”

He stumbled, weak and trembling, and fell straight into someone’s arms. He sucked in as much breath as he could, desperate to cool his systems. He blinked heavily a few times, his vision slowly returning to normal. As the blur faded, he saw the person who caught him. But his mind was shrouded in fog.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?”

**Author's Note:**

> I need to stop stopping myself from posting finished mini fics because they're too short


End file.
